Suppose you are sitting in an interview and the interviewer has asked you one question. This question could be of three types either a skill test, doubt over certain things, or a build-up question. The “build-up questions” are based on your previous answers. So this can go anywhere:-
The concept of alignment is like steering your answer to the waters which you know well. Going deep and swimming in any current will not harm you and you will swim out.
Steer your answer to known waters
But if you did not align your answer in the direction where the water current is not in your favor you may end up drowning in your own created fish net of answers.
Drowning in your own created fish-net
So, please try and align your answer in such a way that the interviewer does not need to steer your interview and you command on your own. This will only happen when you are in known territories. But if you found yourself left in the territory where things are completely unknown to you what you can do? Wait for the light to shine again.
Light to shine again
The interviewer comes to gauge different aspects of your personality. Both analytical and hardcore. So, just wait for the moment when the interviewer throws a question that is like a rope towards your own known territory. Come back hard with the answer of your life. Done! light is stronger now, the interviewer is like ok. He/she knows this, but not this. Let me see if I can use him in a different way although I have to teach him, can he quickly learn? Let’s see that, now this see-saw moment will happen, Let it happen but do not let your thoughts go down by answer to the previous question.
Also, there is some interviewer who comes up with a certain perception of checking the metal of a candidate by throwing a hurricane toward him/her. They gauge candidates, not on the basis of desired skill set but the ability to remain calm and composed even if he/she could not answer 90% of questions but remain composed and tried in a fair way from previous knowledge will do the magic.
So, it is not the alignment of thoughts when you know the answer to everything, it is about being ok, for a longer time of not knowing anything. Because in the business world there will be times when you will try to find the answer to some problem. But may not be able to come to a solution even after trying for years. It is like making peace with that.
Being ok, for a longer time of not knowing anything
I have observed senior most people check this way. That’s why you see even though you got praise in the interview you thought your interview went smoothly but got rejected. While your friend whose interview went up and down and he discussed some silly off-the-topic things and he got selected. So, always show your natural friend’s side if the interviewer is trying to talk one-to-one about some SRT-based (e.g., life situations) things to test.
Give the natural answer even in which you seem to be losing but answer what happens in reality not what happens in the ideal world you thought of.
Being natural
I hope this will help you in future interviews. Best of Luck:)
Please read my other stories Interview: Overcoming the fear.
